Winter didn't bring much ice ... so they brought it
Oslo moves mountains of snow for its residents to enjoy skiing
Snow blocks are leveled and turned into a playground for winter sports enthusiasts.
A.F.B.
It is said that Norwegians are born with sledges on their feet, but the scarcity of snowfall and the "Covid-19" epidemic have almost dampened their passion for skiing this year, prompting the authorities to allocate rinks and paths in parks in the heart of Oslo for this purpose.
In recent weeks, hundreds of cubic meters of "white gold", produced by snow cannons, have been dumped over areas that, despite the onset of winter, were covered with green grass - on the hills surrounding the capital.
Snow blocks that were leveled and carved in groves have turned into a playground for lovers of various winter sports and skiing in all its forms for all ages: young children on a trip with the kindergarten, or retired people full of activity, or even employees who rest during a working day remotely, said a member of the municipal council, Omar Sami Jamal : “For three months, Oslo has been subject to very strict health measures (to contain“ Covid ”), but we can still go out.” And he added, “Since winter did not bring us much snow, we made sure to bring it to the people, we brought them a little“ Marca ” “Close to their homes.”
But what is a "marca"?
They are those wooded hills that overlook the city, and people go to them to breathe fresh air on foot or on skis, after work or during the weekend.
And the fall of the first snowflakes, at the beginning of the year, led to a chaotic stampede to the hills in long lines of cars, and what is more dangerous in these times of the epidemic is congestion in trains.
"We do not want people to crowd, we want people to distance themselves from each other, and the best way to achieve this is to take advantage of public places inside the city," said a member of the municipal council.
Thus, four parks in Oslo, including the Garden of the Royal Palace, were furnished or partially covered by artificial snow for the eyes of the skiers.
• The authorities in Norway have designated rinks and paths in parks in the heart of the city.
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